Van Gough Museum

Posted by Griffin and Beth.

The exterior of the Van Gough Museum

Griffin on the building: I thought that the building was unremarkable. To me it feels like such beautiful art should have an equally amazing home, such as the Louvre, Rijksmuseum, or any of the other art museums I've seen so far. This building felt very utilitarian, like it was just a box for the art. Don't get me wrong, it was a fine building, a large central column made it feel uncluttered and spacious, but there was nothing special about it.
Beth on the building: I really enjoyed the layout of the interior. Very spacious and light filled. The three floors showed van Gough's progression from his early years until his death in 1890.

Beth and her painting

Beth on the Painting Workshop: As we made our way through the first floor we noticed a sign saying "free art class". They had volunteer artists setting up canvases on easels, for people to create their own still life. It was super fun and inspired me to take a painting class when we get home.

The boxes for Stendhal Syndrome

Griffin on Stendhal Syndrome: As we walked through the second floor of the museum we came upon what appeared to be three upright coffins. As we approached them we saw a sign on the side of one of them that read "For Stendhal Syndrome". We wondered what it was. It turns out that Stendhal Syndrome is a psychosomatic disorder that causes nausea, dizziness, fainting, and hallucinations when a person is exposed to beautiful art. The boxes are for people to climb inside to escape the art. We believe that Leo suffers from this disorder, and he is looking into a doctor's order to stay permanently away from beautiful art.
Beth on the Art: I liked that there were a lot of examples of van Gough's work from different time periods in his life. I felt like this gave a good perspective on the cannon of his work as a whole. I also liked that the museum showed how van Goguh's work was influenced by artists he admired, and how he influenced other artists, by showing works of other artists.
Griffin on the Art: I think that the art was amazing. The museum had a large collection of van Gough pieces, however they were missing a few key pieces that are currently on loan to the Munch Museum in Oslo. Van Gough's art is so deeply personal that it feels as if you can see him creating it. The visceral brush strokes evoke emotions that other art fails to do. Van Gough's work provokes introspection in a way most art does not.

Wheat Field with Crows by Vincent van Gough